Cheap mobiles ‘not always the best option’

There are a number of cheap mobile phones on the market – but consumers would be wise to invest a little more in a new handset, one expert has said.

A spokesman for online IT and technology news website Techworld explained although it was clear that entry-level models were popular, they may not always be the best option.

John Dunn, editor of the portal, noted it could be better to resist the temptation of a low-cost device and spend a bit more cash on one that will offer greater longevity – something which could be funded by recycling used phones.

"I’d recommend buying a phone for around the £100 mark that will last and resolving to keep it until it falls apart. Look for smaller screens perhaps – larger screens are more likely to crack – and steer clear of novelty designs and phones with moving parts," he added.

The expert’s comments follow recently published data from ABI Research which revealed the market for entry-level handsets could expect annual growth of 24 per cent between now and 2014.